Closure for an air bag assembly

Abstract

A closure for an air bag assembly includes a flexible outer skin and a layer of foam material covering a retainer member that has an air bag deployment opening that is closed by a moveable door. The door overlaps portions of the retainer member to support the door against movement inwardly of the retainer member and allow free hinging movement outwardly of the retainer member for stressing and separating the layer of foam and the outer skin to form a deployment path for the air bag. The moveable door may be retained in the closed position by frangible portions of the retainer member to facilitate manufacture of the closure.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A closure for an air bag having an outer layer of polymeric material, a foam layer located within said outer layer and an inner retainer member having an air bag deployment opening preformed therein and the inner retainer member carrying said foam layer and said outer layer in overlying relationship to the air bag deployment opening in the inner retainer member and a moveable door that is covered by the outer layer of polymeric material and the foam layer characterized by: said moveable door having sides thereof cooperating with said inner retainer member for supporting said moveable door against movement inwardly of said inner retainer member and for supporting said moveable door for free movement thereof from its supported position on said inner retainer member,   the inner retainer member having shaped stops that taper inwardly and are relatively rigid and shear resistant, and   the sides of the moveable door cooperating with the stops for retaining the moveable door in its supported position on the inner retainer member.   
     
     
       2. The closure as defined in claim 1 wherein the stops are wedge shaped for shear resistance. 
     
     
       3. The closure as defined in claim 1 wherein the moveable door is formed by two door segments each having an end attached to said inner retainer member and opposite sides cooperating with said inner retainer member for supporting said door segment against movement inwardly of said inner retainer member. 
     
     
       4. The closure as defined in claim 1 wherein the moveable door is a composite comprising a plastic closure portion and a metal insert embedded in the plastic closure portion at one end for attaching the moveable door to the inner retainer member. 
     
     
       5. The closure as defined in claim 4 wherein the stops cooperate with the plastic closure portion. 
     
     
       6. A closure for an air bag having an outer layer of polymeric material, a foam layer located within said outer layer and an inner retainer member having an air bag deployment opening preformed therein and the inner retainer member carrying said foam layer and said outer layer in overlying relationship to the air bag deployment opening in the inner retainer member and a moveable door that is covered by the outer layer of polymeric material and the foam layer characterized by: said moveable door having sides thereof cooperating with said inner retainer member for supporting said moveable door against movement inwardly of said inner retainer member and for supporting said moveable door for free movement thereof from its supported position on said inner retainer member,   the inner retainer member having shaped stops that are relatively rigid and shear resistant,   the sides of the moveable door cooperating with the stops for retaining the moveable door in its supported position on the inner retainer member, and   the inner retainer member having a sleeve portion defining the air bag deployment opening and the shaped stops being attached to opposite sides of the sleeve portion in depressed positions so that the door does not protrude outwardly of the inner retainer member.   
     
     
       7. The closure as defined in claim 6 wherein the sleeve portion comprises two flat spaced side walls that are connected by a flat end wall at each end, and the stops are located on the end walls. 
     
     
       8. The closure as defined in claim 7 wherein the moveable door is a composite comprising a plastic closure portion and a metal insert embedded in the plastic closure portion at one end for attaching the moveable door to one of the side walls of the inner retainer member. 
     
     
       9. The closure as defined in claim 8 wherein the stops cooperate with the plastic closure portion. 
     
     
       10. A closure for an air bag having an outer layer of polymeric material, a foam layer located within said outer layer and an inner retainer member having an air bag deployment opening preformed therein and the inner retainer member carrying said foam layer and said outer layer in overlying relationship to the air bag deployment opening in the inner retainer member and a moveable door that is covered by the outer layer of polymeric material and the foam layer characterized by: said moveable door having sides cooperating with said inner retainer member for supporting said moveable door against movement inwardly of said inner retainer member and for supporting said moveable door for free movement thereof from its supported position on said inner retainer member,   the inner retainer member having stops,   the sides of the moveable door cooperating with the stops for supporting the moveable door inwardly of the inner retainer member, and   the inner retainer member having catches for retaining the moveable door in a closed position during the manufacturing process.   
     
     
       11. The closure as defined in claim 10 wherein the stops have a shear resistance and the catches have a shear resistance that is less than the shear resistance of the stops. 
     
     
       12. The closure as defined in claim 10 wherein the catches are resilient. 
     
     
       13. The closure as defined in claim 12 wherein the catches are sufficiently resilient to permit the moveable door to snap past the catches to facilitate manufacture and to reduce debris from the catches as a result of air bag deployment. 
     
     
       14. The closure as defined in claim 12 wherein the moveable door is a composite comprising a plastic closure portion and a metal insert embedded in the plastic closure portion at one end for attaching the moveable door to the inner retainer member. 
     
     
       15. A closure for an air bag having an outer layer of polymeric material, a foam layer located within said outer layer and an inner retainer member having an air bag deployment opening preformed therein and the inner retainer member carrying said foam layer and said outer layer in overlying relationship to the air bag deployment opening in the inner retainer member and a moveable door covered by the outer layer and the foam layer characterized by: said moveable door having an end attached to said inner retainer member and having sides opposite each other;   said inner retainer member having stops cooperating with the opposite sides of the moveable door member for supporting the moveable door against movement inwardly of said inner retainer member, and   said inner retainer member having catches cooperating with the opposite sides of the moveable door for retaining the moveable door in its supported position on the inner retainer member.   
     
     
       16. The closure as defined in claim 15 wherein the catches are resilient. 
     
     
       17. The closure as defined in claim 16 wherein the catches are sufficiently resilient to permit the moveable door to snap past the catches to facilitate and manufacture and to reduce debris from the catches as a result of air bag deployment. 
     
     
       18. The closure as defined in claim 15 wherein the moveable door is a composite comprising a plastic closure portion and a metal insert embedded in the plastic closure portion at one end for attaching the moveable door to the inner retainer member. 
     
     
       19. The closure as defined in claim 15 wherein the moveable door is formed by two door segments each having an end attached to said inner retainer member and opposite sides cooperating with said stops and said catches. 
     
     
       20. A closure for an air bag having an outer layer of polymeric material, a foam layer located within said outer layer and an inner retainer member having an air bag deployment opening preformed therein and the inner retainer member carrying said foam layer and said outer layer in overlying relationship to the air bag deployment opening in the inner retainer member and a moveable door covered by the outer layer and the foam layer characterized by: said moveable door having an end attached to said inner retainer member and having sides opposite each other;   said inner retainer member having stops cooperating with the sides of the moveable door member for supporting the moveable door against movement inwardly of said inner retainer member,   said inner retainer member having catches cooperating with the opposite sides of the moveable door for retaining the moveable door in its supported position on the inner retainer member, and   the inner retainer having a rectangular sleeve portion defining the air bag deployment opening and the stops being located in depressed positions on opposite side walls of the sleeve portion so that the door does not protrude outwardly of the inner retainer member.   
     
     
       21. The closure as defined in claim 20 wherein the stops are wedge shaped for shear resistance. 
     
     
       22. The closure as defined in claim 20 wherein the stops have a shear resistance and the catches have a shear resistance that is less than the shear resistance of the stops.